Welcome to "Dust, Tears & Dice", a blog dedicated to the hobby of miniature wargaming.
If you fancy gaming periods off the beaten track then this is the place for you.
I am a regular member of The Wyvern Wargamers, formerly The Evesham Wargames Club drawing gamers from Worcester, Redditch, Kidderminster, Cheltenham and Stratford.
All players welcome.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

I picked these up on whim at Salute having had my interested reignited by the guys at Spectre's forth coming Kickstarter campaign (which is now standing at 300% funded) and finding that spare changes in your pocket that your can't possibly go home with as the kids will only pinch it for dinner money or the wife to pay the milkman or window cleaner...

It's quite worrying how one bag of figures can lead you down the painting path that has lasted 3 months and over 150 figures - It's true wargaming is addictive.

The Rhodesian African Rifles (RAR) were one of the key government units
of the Rhodesian Bush War. Operating in the Fireforce role, troops could
be both heli- and par-borne in their actions against ZIPRA and ZANLA
insurgents.

My plan is to use them as regular forces in the nation of Zikanga.

These are some of the finest sculpts I have seen in a long time, great poses and a real eye for the detail in the uniforms and webbing, I shall definately be picking up more packs from Eureka.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

I picked these up a couple of years ago for around £5.00 on e-bay when I first kicked off the African project, the plan was always to crew them up for adventures in Africa, but other projects came along... However when I saw the latest upgrade from Spectre I figured I should dust them off and finally finish the project.

The crew are from Force of Arms, I am not sure if they have been picked up by Empress or Warlord it would be a shame not to see them on the market. Adding together the crew and vehicles the total cost is around £9.50 when compared to those on offer from Spectre and Empress whose offerings range from between £19.00 & £25.00

It feels like a good deal to me espically as the vehicles are ready painted.

Very nice but not sure I can wait until Spetember.....

I have mounted a DShK Heavy machine gun on both to give the militia a punch, roughed up the paintwork a little and given them a earthen wash to give them a more lived in feel.

The crew figures are painted in a part civilian and part military uniform to allow them to be used for any of the warlord factions within Zikanga.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Last Sunday saw the third outing in the Wyvern Wargamers Starship Troopers Campaign and the largest collection of players yet including 4 new players straight out of academy.

Baldwins B*stards, Deacons Destroyers, Wyvern Warriors, Combat Surfer, Dark Revenge, Red Front and The Verminators all set out looking to deliver death to the bug hordes.... confidence was high with so many players and troops what could possibly go wrong.

The scenarioThough you have fought hard and done well thus far in the invasion,
other troopers have not been so lucky, The Arachnid presence is weaker
in this area (no doubt due to your efforts) and you have been asked by
your seniors to locate the crew of a Viking Landing Craft who which
contained a high value indiviual that has crashed in the Bug deployment
zone.

Your units must cross the table contact the crashed crew and escort them to the entry point on the table.

Points are awarded for all kills and players are penalised for losses.

The table layout, 6" foot of hostile desert and rock formations, two bugs holes had been identified by fleet but no bugs had been sighted yet.

Wow with so many players over 3000 points were available to the Federation and they took them all. Walkers, Power Armoured Troopers and buggies, even the press were on the scene.

Players jockeyed for position all looking to be the first to shoot and kill themsleves a bug, however the bugs had other plans, they had learnt from other encounters and nothing was showing above ground and as the MI advanced into the arachnid zone no bugs were to be seen, it was damned quiet.

The Baldwin's B*stards reached the first ridge supported by the Verminators Chickhawk and are ambushed by Cliff Mites who emerge from the rock formations catching the troopers cold, however the Cliff Mites lacked the power and armour of their larger warrior breathern and are soon pushed back with limited casaulties on the MI side.
The MI looked at one another the bugs (ok me....) were being bloody sneaky.....

The Bugs win the initiative and multiple units move to engage the human invaders. They spew forth from the known bug holes, blips are picked up on the scanners showing underground movement moving swiftly towards the MI lines and fliers swoop in from the left flank.....

The advancing buggies beat a hasty retreat towards their own lines as the first bug units races after them across the table.

The anchorman for the Federation Press gets his own exclusive interview with the bugs as the Fliers swoop in attacking the unit closest to the table edge its a swift and bloody affair with bugs scattering the advancing MI and inflicting several casaulties on the Wyvern Warriors.

With several men down the MI are faced with having to rescue their fallen comrades and defend against the advancing bugs. All units are engaged driving back the advancing bugs.

The high ground is secured and cleared of Cliff Mites allowing the Federation forces to pour fire on to the advancing bugs, however the bugs countered this by launching another assault from a hidden bug hole catching the Verminators and Deacons Destroyers in hand to hand, Baldwin's B8stards look on unable to fire until fired upon.

Things look desperate for the Verminators and Deacons Destroyers who are caught with Bugs to the front and rear both squads lose several men before beating off the bug onslaught.

On the left flank swift progress is being made, several rounds on low
activiation for the bugs allowed the MI to seal a bug hole and push
forward sweeping all before them, Dark Revenge and the Red Front rake up several wins killing the bugs at distance.

One hole down Dark revenge venture too close to the remaining bug hole and are attacked by a fresh unit of bugs, Dark Revenge suffer numerous casaulties before the bug threat is surpressed.

As the clock ticks down, more bugs appear on the table including a Tanker bug, it shuggs off a number of rockets from Baldwin's B*stards and the Combat Surfers the route of advance is most definately blocked, there will be no rescue today......

The MI fall back to their start lines.... Game Over.

The scores after Round 3 are as follows....

Baldwin's B*stards continue to lead the way on the route to Sky Marshall, another blooding for the Wyvern Warriors, the new recruits gave a good account of themselves, things are hotting up, lets see what happens in Round 4.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

I picked them up on whim at Christmas and was in two minds on whether to actually paint them or move them on. The problem was historical accuracy vs table top gaming experience.

They are lovely castings by the guys as ebob miniatures who do a range of WW1 Belgiums, I thought they would give me an additional option for Russian Cavalry for the RJW Project.

With Tsuba Miniatures shortly to release Japanese cavalry the Russians will need reinforcements.

Being known for always picking projects off the beaten track, I suspect I could get away with using these proxies and claimed them to be Russian Frontier Guards, but might have to pack them away when the more purist gamers visit the club or these with an eye for detail.

I have completed both mounted and dismounted versions, but depending on the size of the game could be classed as two separate units if desired.

Next up more casaulty and low ammo bases following the recent release from Tsuba, those will be the real thing honest.....

Thursday, May 08, 2014

The Beast has been in excile for about 6 years, which by concidence is how long my African Militia have been in storage or last saw a table top outing, but with the success of Spectre Miniatures Kickstarter Campaign and the recent makeover the figures have had, I thought it was high time he broke out from his training camp on the Noore Border and crossed back into Zikanga territory.

There was just the same matter of the Gendarmes Nationale border post.

The border post of route 56 manned by members of the Gendarmes Nationale loyal to president for life Festus Okoye, a 10 man section armed with AK's one heavy squad weapon and a RPG 7 for good measure.

Srg. Bilts mans the main entrance watching for any would be border incursion.

He does not have to wait long before members of Kwaz Nwazutha aka "The Beast" come into sight advancing down the main track.

AK fire peppers the main sandbag enplacment and a well placed RPG round drives members of the GN into cover as they are out gunned by the advancing militia members. Biltstakes out two of the advancing militia men, forcing others to dive into the under growth, slowing the advance.

The Beast sends more of his men forwards skirting the main route and looking to break into the border post from the left flank.

The militia men break cover and pour supressing fire into the defenders who seek cover amongst the sandbag check point.

Lightly armed and poorly trained a number of the militia men are wounded or forced back into cover, only to be replaced by others...

Pinned on all fronts the Gendarmes Nationale are unable to raise themselves from cover without attracting several rounds of fire. A number of the GN head into the under growth fleeing their posts.

The Beast urges his men on as the sweep over the border post.

Srg Bilts and his remaining trooper shelter behind the skip as the militia close in on their position and are finally forced from the table to pass on the news of the Beast's return.....

Played using THW 5150 rules, which gave us a quick fun game in just over two hours. The insight rules and Duck Backs allowed the out numbered GN to hold off the under tooled militia for several rounds until they breached the defences in a weak spot... it was only then the whole front collapsed..

Saturday, May 03, 2014

It's a amazing what a little inspiration can do, these chaps having been sitting at the foot of lead mountain for around 8 years, having finished the make over of the 1980's Brits and Spectre Miniatures - African Project which was pleasing to see reach its funding in under 2 days on Kickstarter.I came across these special forces from Mogrel Miniatures still in their original blister packs...

Perfect to represent the small army of professional mercenaries that Petrocorp employ in the country of Zikanga - The fictional country in South West Africa.

By way of a background PetroCorps Mercenaries are headed up by Henri Odinga, Odinga is responsible for security at
the four main drilling sites together with the pipelines integrity throughout the country.

The Petrocorp sites have all had villages grow up around them and the
flares-offs from the sites in part make up for a lack of electricity. However this townships contain various workers groups and unoffical unions which need to be "handled"

Odinga can call upon a small army of Professions armed with advanced weapon systems including a number of
MBT’s and fast attack helicopters.

Campaign Objective: Defend the pipeline
and ensure oil continues to flow regardless of government in power, maintain
profit margins.